Hose hopper: a device to store hose and similar cord-like items

ABSTRACT

This invention has no mechanical parts or mechanisms but relies on gravity and elasticity to disperse the hose (or other item) in unstrained coils against the inside perimeter of a hollow truncated cone (apex down. open base up). When loading the hose into the conical container, gravity settles the loops of the coil down against the previous loop while the elasticity of the hose forces the hose against the perimeter of the cone. This natural physical process inhibits the overlapping of the loops which could otherwise result in tangling and kinks while withdrawing the hose from the container. The result is less strain on the hose and the user and no mechanical problems

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED R & D

Not applicable

NAMES OF PARTNERS TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention solves several problems prevailing in the prior art. These problems are manifested in three ways: (1) excessive exertion and frustration with the user-unfriendly operation, (2) equipment malfunction, failure, and wear, and (3) hose damage caused by the equipment.

There is a great demand (as evidenced by the several patents relating to Hose-Reels) for apparatus and methods for storing and transporting garden hose and other cord-like items such as electrical wire and electrical cable, gas pressure hose, hydraulic hose; vacuum hose, fiber rope, plastic rope And wire rope. Garden hose will be the specific item described in the application document although the invention applies to the several items listed above.

Most of the prior art patents and applications refer to the reel-type hose handling devices because of the many mechanical and moving parts required by their function; parts such as a separate length of inlet hose with connections at both ends, a rotary seal at the end of the spool with hose connections inside and outside the reel, a crankshaft through a bushing on the frame, rotation locks to hold the reel in the desired position, a retractable crank handle with position locks, spool shaft bushings, wheels with wheel bearings, hose distributor, foot pads to prevent disrupting movement of the device while cranking.

These features are described in the prior art patents and patent applications listed below:

U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,520 refers to several prior art features whose problems are solved by this disclosed invention, for instance problems such as:

the hose structure is strained beyond its yield by winding the hose around a small diameter spool. The disclosed HOSE HOPPER invention allows the hose to establish its own coil diameter without strain.

The reel has two hose connections attached to it: an inlet through a rotary seal in the shaft , and a fixed one attached to the circumference of the spool. Both of these are susceptable to leakage and wear and require user action to connect the hoses. The HOSE HOPPER does not have these features and, thus, eliminates the problem.

The prior art disclosed by this and any other patents for hose reels all include mechanical features that are subject to wear, malfunction and breakage, and user exertion. The HOSE HOPPER has no mechanisms, except wheels, and, thus has none of these problems.

U. S. Patent Application # 20040084084 ads folding crank handle with position locks that can break or malfunction or wear out, none of which can occur with the HOSE HOPPER since it does not have a crank or any other mechanism.

Patent Application # 20030183276 puts the hose in a hole in the ground which makes the storage immovable. The HOSE HOPPER is portable and can still be protected from the elements inside a building or with a cover.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENYION

This invention uses two principles of physics: gravity and elasticity, to easily load, store, transport and unload a portable storage container while eliminating most of thr problems experienced with the use of prior art devices and methods such as hose reels, which require several mechanisms and mechanical parts, and which require excessive exertion by the user. Gravity and elasticity are applied to the flexible strand material such as hose, electrical cord, rope, wire rope, and similar items ,through the unique conical configuration and orientation of the container.

SPECIFICATION (DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION)

The invention described herein is a portable container which is loaded and unloaded through the top with garden hose (identified as such for this specification, but applicable to use with other strand configuration materials such as electrical cords, gas pressure hose, hydraulic hose, vacuum hose, fiber cord, plastic cord, wire rope, and other linearly flexible strand items).

The HOSE HOPPER consists of a hollow cone with truncated apex down and positioned on and attached to a two-wheeled axle with the wheels located and elevated to provide two points of a three-point stand upon which the HOSE HOPPER reposes. The third point of the stand is a rigid leg attached to the Cone and positioned relative to the two wheels to place the axis of the HOSE HOPPER at the appropriate angle from the horizon to allow gravity and elasticity to settle the hose in coils within the periphery of the cone without straining the hose structure by otherwise forcing it into a small diameter such as would occur on a small reel. This angle (together with the shape of the cone) also reduces overlap of the loops Of the coil formed.

While the cone configuration and orientation must remain the same, the size of the HOSE HOPPER can be varied according to the requirements of the items being contained. The size of the prototype is sufficient to contain two one-hundred foot long, ⅝ inch industrial grade rubber hose Although the prototype HOSE HOPPER performed as well with electrical cable, hydraulic hose, compressed air hose, fiber cord, and vacuum hose as with garden hose, it need not have been the Same size. If a smaller size is fabricated it may not require wheels; a rigid stand and a carrying handle might be sufficient.

The material of construction for the prototype is metal; but composite material might be satisfactory, and easier to fabricate, and weigh less, and cost less. 

1: A portable hollow cone-shaped container (like a hopper) fastened to a 3-point stand consisting of a two-wheeled axle and a rigid leg that positions the truncated-cone apex end downward and the open base of the cone upward whereby the axis of the cone is tilted at an appropriate angle to allow gravity and elasticity to distribute the hose in unrestrained coils around the inside periphery of the cone while a person, having first threaded the supply end of the hose from inside the cone through an opening in the apex of the cone, feeds the hose into the large open top of the cone thus allowing the hose to repose in coils in the cone and allowing easy insertion and withdrawal from the top of the cone without tangles and kinks. 2: A portable cone-shaped container, as described in claim 1 which, by means of the large top-opening, permits a person to easily feed the hose into the cone from a standing posture thus relieving any back-strain that might otherwise occur with a prior art eel type hose container, which requires strenuous up and down exertion from a bent-over posture while cranking the reel. 3: A portable cone-shaped container as described in claim 1 whereby the large open top and cone configuration and orientation, having been loaded: with untangled and unstrained coils of hose in repose, permit a person to easily withdraw the hose without the restraint of tangles and kinks and structurally strained coils that would result from the tight wrap of the hose around the spool of a prior art hose-reel device. 4: A portable cone-shaped container as described in claim 1 whereby the user need only make one hose connection (the supply faucet connection of the hose being stored) whereas as many as three connections must be made with a prior art hose reel. 5: A portable cone-shaped container as described in claim 1 wherein the center of gravity Is approximately positioned vertically above the wheels while transporting, thus reducing the weight imposed on the user to essentially zero. 6: A portable cone-shaped container as described in claim 1 whereby the user, when using the contained hose, need not perform a “three-handed” operation on the two rotation locks while restraining rotation of the reel with a “third hand” such as is required with prior art hose reel. 7: A portable cone-shaped container as described in claim 1 whereby the relatively wide wheelbase maintains stability which prevents the the overturning tendency of prior art hose reels to overturn from the side thrust limposed durmg winding and withdrawal of hose having overlaps and tangles. 8: A portable cone-shaped container as described in claim 1 having a large capacity of two one-hundred foot, ⅝ inch, industrial grade rubber hoses; whereas prior art hose reels have limited capacity. 9: A portable cone-shaped container as described in claim 1 which, because of its configuration avoids overlaps during loading; whereas the user of a prior art hose reel must guide the hose onto the spool with one hand and step on the frame while cranking the reel with the other hand. 10: A portable cone-shaped container as described in claim 1, which has relatively large wheels and wide wheelbase to raise it from obstructions and maintain stability while transporting; whereas prior art hose reels have relatively small wheels and narrow wheelbase which allow obstructions to impede movement while transporting. 11: A portable cone-shaped container (like a hopper) fastened to a 3-point stand consisting of a two-wheeled axle and a rigid leg that positions the truncated-cone apex end downward and the open base of the cone upward whereby the axis of the cone is tilted at an appropriate angle to allow gravity and elasticity to distribute the hose in unrestrained coils around the inside periphery of the cone while a person, having first threaded the supply end of the hose from inside the cone through an opening in the apex of the cone, feeds the hose into the large open top of the cone thus allowing the hose to repose in coils in the cone and allowing easy insertion and withdrawal from the top of the cone without tangles and kinks; all of which features are accomplished with no moving mechanical parts to wear out, or break, or malfunction, with the exception of the wheels. 12: The invention as described in claim 11 has no rotary seals to leak; as can occur with prior art hose reels which require rotary seals. 13: The invention as described in claim 11 has no hose connections, whereas prior art hose reels require two connections, one in and one out of the hose reel, which connections are subject to leakage. 14: The invention as described in claim 11 has no crank mechanism, whereas the prior art hose reels have a cranking k mechanism with a bushing that can wear out or malfunction. 15: The invention as described in claim 11 has no rotation locks, whereas the prior at hose reel has mechanical locks which can wear out, break, or malfunction. 16: The invention as described in claim 11 has no retractable transport handle, whereas prior art hose reels have retractable handles with position locks that can wear out, break, or malfunction. 17: The invention as described in claim 11, because of its configuration distributes the hose automatically within the cone; whereas some prior art hose reel have mechanical hose distributors which are subject to wear, or breakage, or malfunction. 18: A portable cone-shaped container (like a hopper) fastened to a 3-point stand consisting of a two-wheeled axle and a rigid leg that positions the truncated-cone apex end downward and the open base of the cone upward whereby the axis of the cone is tilted at an appropriate angle to allow gravity and elasticity to distribute the hose in unrestrained coils around the inside periphery of the cone while a person, having first threaded the supply end of the hose from inside the cone through an opening in the apex of the cone, feeds the hose into the large open top of the cone thus allowing the hose to repose in coils in the cone and allowing easy insertion and withdrawal from the top of the cone without tangles and kinks whereby no damaging stresses are imposed on the hose such as can occur with prior art hose reels. 19: The invention as described in claim 18 allows the hose, while loading into the cone, to form its unstrained coil whereas the prior art hose reel wraps the hose around a small diameter spool, thus imposing damaging strain on the hose. 20: The invention as described in claim 18 can protect the hose from environmental damage with a cover and/or can be easily moved to inside storage. 